Load supporting device



March 21-, 1944. A. R. SCHWAN 2,344,644

LOAD SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 50, 1942 Patented Mar. 21, 1944 LOAD SUPPORTING DEVICE August R. Schwan, Lancaster, Pa., assignor to Armstrong Cork Company, Lancaster, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 30, 1942, Serial No. 470,633

4 Claims.

This invention relates to load supporting devices and, more particularly, to load supporting devices adapted to receive a load supporting member such as a bar or rod extending through the load to be supported and to securely hold the same in position to support the load during raising and lowering of the same.

In the floor covering industry, for example, it is necessary to raise and lower large rolls of floor covering such as linoleum or felt base in order to dispose such rolls in position to be wound and unwound. These rolls are very heavy and it is customary to use some form of tackle to raise and to lower the roll. This is unsatisfactory and undesirable since occasionally the chain may slip on the bar and the roll falls without warning, with resulting injury to the material and, sometimes, workmen have been injured when these heavy rolls have been dropped. Another'problem arises due to the fact that careless workmen may be injured when disposing the chain about the end of the bar supporting the roll of floor covering.

The chief object of my invention is to provide a load supporting device which securely and satisfactorily supports a load and which may be easily and quickly disposed in proper position to perform its required function. A further object of my invention is to provide a load supporting device which may be easily and quickly disposed in proper position to support a load and which is so designed as to obviate injury to workmen handling the same. Other objects of my invention will be apparent from the following description.

This invention relates to a load supporting device which comprises, in combination, an arm having its lower portion adapted to serve as a gripping surface, a second arm connected thereto adapted to cooperate with said gripping surface to hold an object to be supported, said second arm being pivotably mounted on said first arm to permit fitting about the object to be supported and being capable of being drawn about said object to cooperate with the gripping surface in holding and supporting the same by the application of lifting forces to first arm.

The attached drawing discloses a preferred embodiment of my invention, in which Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of the load supporting device of my invention;

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view in front elevation of the device of my invention fitted over an object tobe supported;

Figure 4 is a'view in front elevation of the device drawn about an object to be supported; and

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of the load supporting devices in use.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a load supporting device composed of arms 2 and 3. The lower portion of arm 2 is provided with a series of protuberances or corrugations 4 forming a gripping surface to assist in holding an object to be supported. The upper portion of arm 2 is provided with an opening 5 through which the hook of a chain hoist, for example, may be passed to permit raising and lowering of the device. Arm 3 is composed of two similar arcuate members 6 and 7 having an arcuate spacer 8 disposed therebetween of less length than said members so that the end of the arm 3 a pair of is formed as a yoke 9. Members 6 and 1 and spacer 8 are secured together to form an integral unit by means of rivets ID. The yoke 9 of arm 3 is adapted to fit about arm 2 as shown in Figurel and is secured thereto. by a bolt .II which passes through members 6. and l of arm 3 and forms a pivot point about which arm 3 may be pivoted. Arm 3 is adapted to be placed over a .bar or rod and as arm 2 is raised, arm 3 is drawn about the bar or rod unti1 it cooperates with the lower portion of arm 2, to form a socket within which the bar or rod is securely held.

In Figures 3, 4, and 5 I have illustrated the device of my invention in use. There is shown a roll of floor covering l2 carried on a bar or rod l3 which extends through the center thereof. Bar I3 is supported by standards I4 mounted on a platform l5. Load supporting members of my invention are placed at the ends of bar I3 as shown in Figure 5 and the hooks N5 of chain or cable hoists I! placed through openings 5 in arms 2. Such members are placed over bar l3 with arm 3 resting on the bar I3 as shown in Figure 3. Such members may be quickly and easily disposed on the bar without danger of injury to the workman. As forces are applied to the device by means of chain hoist l1, arm 2 is raised and arm 3 slides about the bar 13 as shown in Figure 4 until it cooperates with the lower portion of arm 2 to form a socket receiving the bar. As forces continue to be applied, the baris securely held between arms 2 and 3 and the corrugations 4 of arm 2 prevent the device sliding on the bar; further application of forces raises the roll which is supported by the load supporting devices.

When it is desired to lower a roll, the hoist is adjusted to lower the roll until the bar I3 is supported by the standards l4. During the downward movement of the roll, it is securely held since the weight of the roll tends to prevent opening of the device. When bar I3 is supported by standards Hi, the weight of the load is removed from the load supporting devices and arm 3 may be pivoted easily and quickly about bolt Hi to remove the device from bar l3 without danger of injury to the workman.

My device presents many advantages. It securely holds a load to be supported and obviates injury to the material or workmen which might be occasioned by improper or inadequate support. It is economical in manufacture, has only one part susceptible to wear, and may be easily and quickly disposed in proper position to support a roll without injury to workmen even if the workmen be inattentive or careless.

While I have described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood my invention is not limited thereto since it may be otherwise embodied Within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a load supporting device, the combination of an arm, the lower portion of said. arm bein shaped to form a gripping surface, a second arm composed of two similar arcuate members and a spacer disposed therebetween of less length than said members so that the end of said arm forms a yoke adapted to fit about said first arm, a bolt extending through said arcuate members and said first arm holding them together and constituting a pivot about which said second arm may be swung, said second arm being. adapted to fit over the object to be supported and being adapted to I be drawn about the object by the application of lifting forces to said first arm to cooperate with the gripping support to retain and to support the object.

2. In a load supporting device, the combination of an arm, the lower portion of said arm being shaped to form a gripping surface, a second arm composed of two similar arcuate members and a spacer disposed therebetween of less length than said members so that the end of said arm forms a yoke adapted to fit about said first mentioned arm, and means for holding together said arcuate members and said first mentioned arm and constituting a pivot about which said second arm may be swung, said second arm being adapted to fit over the object to be supported and being adapted to be drawn about the object by the application of lifting forces to said first mentioned arm to cooperate with the gripping support to retain and to support the object.

3. In a load supporting device, the combination of an arm having its lower portion adapted to serve as a gripping surface, and a second arm including two similar arcuate members and a spacer disposed therebetween of less length than said members so that the end of said arm forms a yoke, said second arm being pivotably mounted on said first arm to permit fitting about the object to be supported and being capable of being drawn about said object to cooperate with the gripping surface in holding and supporting the same by the application of lifting forces to said first arm.

4. In a load supporting device, the combination of an arm having the interior surface of its lower portion adapted to serve as a gripping surface, an arcuate-shaped second arm having an end thereof terminating in a yoke adapted to fit about said first mentioned arm, the interior surface of said arcuate arm being adapted to cooperate with the interior surface of the lower portion of said first mentioned arm to form a socket for the reception of an object to be supported, and means extending through said yoke and, said first mentioned arm securing them together and forming a pivotv about which said second arm may be swung, said second arm fitting over an object to be supported and being adapted to be drawn about the object by the application of lifting forces to the first mentioned arm to cooperate therewith to support the object.

AUGUST R. SCHWAN. 

